Estimation of the minimum price of a balanced ration by linear programming

Linear programming can be applied to identify a nutritionally adequate diet of the lowest cost, since price and nutrient contents are linearly related to food weight. Most computer spreadsheets now include an easy-to-use solver function that is suitable for this purpose. This approach can also be used to estimate the effect of introducing a food supplement on the minimal cost required to provide a nutritionally adequate diet. It can also provide an estimate of the expenses saved by families in relation to the sums spent by the donor after the distribution of a food supplement. This method is illustrated by comparing the economic value of two food supplements, a traditional blended flour and a nutrient-dense spread (a “foodlet”) in rural Chad. The limitations of this approach and the need to interpret its findings carefully in relation to field observations are discussed.